Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition

Empowering Climate Pioneers by Cutting Through the Noise

We are an independent research group of economists, data scientists, and policy experts.

What We Study

Our research sits at the intersection of climate technology, corporate decarbonisation, and carbon markets.

Our Methods

We combine unconventional data sources with cutting-edge analytical techniques.

Step 1

Unconventional Data

We collect novel data sources such as millions of social media posts and web-scraped corporate reports that go beyond traditional datasets.

Step 2

Machine Learning

We use large language models to aggregate, synthesise, and label data at scale, revealing new patterns and preprocessing data for downstream analysis.

Step 3

Econometrics

We apply rigorous causal inference methods such as difference-in-differences and instrumental variables to identify the real-world impact of technologies and policies.

CarbonCredits.fyi

An open assessment of carbon credit quality, drawing on studies covering nearly 1 billion tons of CO₂e. Based on our research published in Nature Communications.

Explore the Data →

In the Media

The Guardian Carbon Offsets Fail to Cut Global Heating Due to ‘Intractable’ Systemic Problems Forbes Unpacking the New Developments in the Carbon Markets Le Monde Compenser ses émissions de CO₂ est inefficace Al Jazeera Voluntary Carbon Market Has Failed the Human Rights Test Süddeutsche Zeitung Warum die meisten CO₂-Sparprojekte Luftnummern sind Die Zeit Die Klima-Kompensation war tot. Kommt sie jetzt zurück? Inside Climate News Forestry Carbon Credit Programs Have a Poor Track Record. Can a New One Do Better? Aftonbladet Forskare sågar regeringens klimatmopeder Harvard Business Manager CO₂-Zertifikate helfen dem Klima kaum Deutschlandfunk Nova CO₂-Kompensation funktioniert nur sehr mäßig Tagesspiegel Mogelpackungen im Klimaschutz: Emissionsgutschriften halten nicht, was sie versprechen Dagens Nyheter Det är inte fel att ‘köpa sig fri’ i klimatpolitiken SRF Stiftung MyClimate in der Krise Tages-Anzeiger Klimaneutral fliegen? Ein Forscher sagt, welche CO₂-Zertifikate taugen Cadena SER Pagar por seguir contaminando: ¿Cómo funcionan los bonos de carbono? The Guardian Carbon Offsets Fail to Cut Global Heating Due to ‘Intractable’ Systemic Problems Forbes Unpacking the New Developments in the Carbon Markets Le Monde Compenser ses émissions de CO₂ est inefficace Al Jazeera Voluntary Carbon Market Has Failed the Human Rights Test Süddeutsche Zeitung Warum die meisten CO₂-Sparprojekte Luftnummern sind Die Zeit Die Klima-Kompensation war tot. Kommt sie jetzt zurück? Inside Climate News Forestry Carbon Credit Programs Have a Poor Track Record. Can a New One Do Better? Aftonbladet Forskare sågar regeringens klimatmopeder Harvard Business Manager CO₂-Zertifikate helfen dem Klima kaum Deutschlandfunk Nova CO₂-Kompensation funktioniert nur sehr mäßig Tagesspiegel Mogelpackungen im Klimaschutz: Emissionsgutschriften halten nicht, was sie versprechen Dagens Nyheter Det är inte fel att ‘köpa sig fri’ i klimatpolitiken SRF Stiftung MyClimate in der Krise Tages-Anzeiger Klimaneutral fliegen? Ein Forscher sagt, welche CO₂-Zertifikate taugen Cadena SER Pagar por seguir contaminando: ¿Cómo funcionan los bonos de carbono?

Latest News

Feb
20
2026

Net Zero Lab Contributes to New Study in Science

A major new paper in Science examines the role of forests in global climate adaptation.

The Net Zero Lab contributed to a large-scale study published in Science examining how forests support climate adaptation worldwide. The paper, involving an international team of researchers, analyses the multifaceted role of forests in helping communities and ecosystems adapt to a changing climate.

The study underscores the importance of forest conservation and restoration not just for carbon sequestration, but as a critical component of global climate adaptation strategies. The findings have significant implications for both carbon market policy and broader environmental governance.

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Jan
22
2026

Ten New Insights in Climate Science 2025

The Net Zero Lab contributes to a major synthesis of new climate science findings.

The annual "10 New Insights in Climate Science" report was released in Global Sustainability, presenting a comprehensive overview of major climate research advances from the past 18 months. Scientists from around the world collaborated to synthesise policy-relevant findings drawn from thousands of climate studies published annually.

The Net Zero Lab contributed to this year's report, focusing on a significant concern: voluntary carbon credit markets face substantial integrity issues. Their contribution builds on a 2024 Nature Communications study and follow-up investigations, emphasising the importance of enhanced oversight and improvements within carbon markets.

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Nov
11
2025

Three New Papers in Nature Journals

The lab publishes three new papers in Nature, Nature Sustainability, and Nature Communications.

Net Zero Lab published three significant studies across Nature journals examining carbon mechanisms and corporate climate action:

  • A Nature Sustainability study reveals that the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism captures only 50–60% of production emissions for chemicals like ethylene and polyethylene.
  • A Nature Communications analysis of 89 multinational companies found no meaningful correlation between purchasing carbon credits and improving climate performance.
  • A Nature comment piece critically evaluates carbon offsets within compliance markets, warning that low-quality offsets artificially suppress carbon prices.
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Jul
09
2025

Net Zero Lab Contributes to New Report on Article 6

Our team contributes expertise on carbon market integrity to a new international policy report.

Net Zero Lab contributed to the Oxford Principles for Responsible Engagement with Article 6, a newly released framework addressing climate finance mechanisms under the Paris Agreement. The lab warns that without proper safeguards, the system risks creating ineffective credits while global emissions continue rising.

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